Richard Alexander, 80, died at home on Thursday, April 30, 2015, after a long battle with cancer.  A life-long resident of Fords, he was retired from the Woodbridge Police Department after 27 years of service.  He was a highly decorated officer and received numerous awards, including: Police Office of the Year, Middlesex County Blue Badge Award for Valor, two New Jersey Combat Cross awards, and two Life Saving awards in addition to 70 citations and commendations from agencies such as the New York City Police Depart, the FBI, Treasury Department, Secret Service, National Auto Theft Bureau, the U.S. Attorney, the Drug Enforcement Agency and numerous local citizens and organizations.  The Judicial system considered him as an expert witness in the fields of drug investigations, wiretap investigations, stolen vehicles, and search warrants.

During his police career, he was a National Rifle Association firearms instructor, the Chief Range Officer at the Woodbridge Pistol Range, Captain of the Woodbridge Police Pistol Team, President of the Central Jersey Police Pistol League, and New Jersey Police Pistol Champion in 1981.  For many years he held the highest ranking in handgun competition, a Distinguished Expert.

After graduating from Woodbridge High School in 1952, he enlisted in the Army and requested duty in Korea where he was assigned to the famous 2 ^nd Infantry Division as a rifleman.  On the night of June 18, 1953, during a major assault by Chinese forces, he was awarded the Bronze Star for heroism.  His other awards include the Combat Infantry Badge, Korean Service medal with 2 stars, United Nations Service medal, South Korea Presidential Unit Citation, and the New Jersey Distinguished Service medal.  In 1955, at the age of 20, he became the youngest First Sergeant at the Special Troops Command in Fort Benning, Georgia, prior to his military discharge.  He held membership in the Second Division Association and the VFW Post 2636.  He was a founding member of the New Jersey Korean War Veterans and served many years as State and Chapter Commander.  He also served on the National Board of Directors of the Korean War Veterans Association in Washington, DC, where he served on the committee to build the National Korean War Memorial.  He served on the committee to build the New Jersey Korean War Memorial in Atlantic City and was voted to top fundraiser for this project.  He also served on the committee to build the Middlesex County Veterans Memorial in Roosevelt Park and the Korean War Memorial on the grounds of the Menlo Park Veterans Home in Edison.  He was a volunteer speaker on the subject of the Korean War and gave many talks to local school children.  He was a volunteer worker at the New Jersey Home for Disabled Veterans.  He was cited for his many accomplishments by the U.S. Congress, the New Jersey State Senate, the New Jersey Assembly, and by Governors Florio, Whitman, McGreevey, and Corzine.  He was an active competitor in the N.J. Senior Olympics winning numerous gold medals in the shot put and discus.  He also won numerous awards at the local car show with his classic El Camino.  He loved his trips to Las Vegas and Sandy Hook.

Richard is survived by his loving wife, Char; daughters: Charlene, Kristin, and Ashley, and grandchildren: Isabella, Noah, and Ariel.

Visitation will be held at the Flynn and Son Funeral Home, 23 Ford Avenue, Fords, NJ, on Sunday, May 3, 2015, from 2-4 and 7-9 pm.  Cremation will be private.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Veterans Memorial Home – Menlo Park, 132 Evergreen Road, P.O. Box 3013, Edison, NJ 08818-3013.